1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a new and improved package for retaining resilient surgical sutures and a method for loading the sutures into the package, whereby the resiliency of the suture material enables the sutures to be self-loaded into the package.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many monofilament surgical sutures possess certain mechanical characteristics such as stiffness and a tendency to be wire-like and resilient. In the past, such sutures have been retained in packages manufactured in such a manner so as to enable the formation of upstanding projections within the package body around which the sutures could be wound so as to be captured in a peripheral storage channel.
Prior art packages manufactured in such a manner include U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,898 entitled "Needle and Suture Holder and Package" which issued to Thyen et al. on Jan. 10, 1984 which discloses a package for retaining a plurality of sutures. The package basically comprises a dish-like holding member having an outer peripheral wall defining the outside wall of a retaining channel and a plurality of spaced apart upstanding projections opposed adjacent to the outer peripheral wall and defining an inside wall of a retaining channel. Sutures may be disposed within the channel by wrapping them about the upstanding projections in such a manner as to fill the channel with sutures. The package further comprises an upper needle-holding holding member having a planar surface which mates with the dish-like holding member in such a manner so as to enclose the retaining channel. The needle-holding member includes a plurality of needle-holding means disposed in spaced relationship upon the planar surface thereof for securely retaining a plurality of suture needles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,498 entitled "Oval Wrap Suture Package" which issued to Klinski et al. on Oct. 9, 1990 discloses a molded two-piece suture package which defines an oval channel within which sutures may be wound. In particular, the suture package comprises a tray member having an oval dish-like area formed thereon, a bottom member enclosed within the dish-like area and having an outer peripheral wall and a plurality of inner lug members which in combination define a suture wrapping channel, and a top member disposed over the bottom member and fastened thereto having a central depression which defines an inner wall having a plurality of notches for being interfingered with the lug members on the bottom member to define an oval channel within which sutures may be wound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,902 entitled "One Piece Nov. 6, 1990 discloses a one piece surgical suture package. The package basically comprises a suture holder having a rounded peripheral channel for retaining a suture. The channel is formed with an open side to which are attached a plurality of hinged doors. After the suture is wound into the channel the doors may be folded over the channel and locked into place so as to secure the suture in the channel. Thereafter, the suture needle can be placed in a parking means disclosed within the center of the storage channel
These prior art suture retainer packages have not taken advantage of the resiliency of certain suture materials to aid in the loading of the package. Instead, prior art retainers have employed winding projections which may cause sutures to take an undesirable set when loaded into the package body.
Retainers wherein a suture can be automatically fed through a notch provided in a partially assembled retainer to coil on itself are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,628 entitled "Direct Dispensing Suture Package For A Multiple Of Sterile Surgical Sutures With or Without Needles Attached" which issued to Marocco et al. on Mar. 6, 1979.
It has been found that when a resilient monofilament surgical suture made of catgut or a similar material is inserted into a package in a coiled configuration, the resilient suture will tend to uncoil within the package and expand radially outward so as to conform generally to the shape of the enclosure. In accordance with this principle, it is desired to provide a suture retainer package which does not necessitate the formation of upstanding projections around which sutures may be wound to be loaded into the package. Instead, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a package for retaining at least one resilient surgical suture which permits the suture to be essentially self-loaded into a retaining area.
Stated differently, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a suture retainer package into which a resilient suture coil may be loaded and thereafter caused to uncoil and expand radially outward within the package so as to be retained therein.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a suture retainer package which can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.
It is still another object of the subject invention to provide a suture retainer package for retaining a plurality of resilient surgical sutures.
It is yet another object of the subject invention to provide a suture retainer package which enables a plurality of resilient suture coils each having a needle affixed to one end to be loaded into the package in such a manner to enable ready removal.
It is yet a further object of the subject invention to provide a package for retaining a plurality of resilient surgical suture coils which when packed do not take an undesirable set.